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Apple to Eliminate Several Business and Event-Related Retail Positions
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Not even close. The point you seem to be missing is B2B sales isn't a static proposition. Organizations large and small approach B2B relationships on multiple levels; in store, online, on-site, remotely, etc. Every vendor isn't the same and all interactions aren't the same. Some vendors are only online. Some are only in store. Others are engaged in a variety of ways.
Apple will be loading U2's Sunday, Bloody, Sunday to all employee's iClouds accounts following a team meeting introducing the new Apple Store managers Betty Bott and Cecil Cyborg. There message to employees, of course, "all your base are belong to us."
It's true, TC is very socially aware -- when the cameras are rolling he knows where his soap box is to stand on (BTW if you are looking for it it's not in China). Otherwise he's all bottomline is the only line.
You can't blame Angela. She was hired by TC to keep the store inline with Apple's business model which, I am sorry -- truly, includes de-emphasizing Mac. Give up on schools, give up on small business. Next give up on consumers.
Last I heard Apple Stores were the most profitable retail spaces in the world on a sales per square foot bases. I don't think Apple has any plans to close them.
Definitely feels like this is the direction Apple retail is headed in.
I mean, if they're losing 20% sales isn't this comment misleading? Or nice meme? I don't get this forum anymore...
Apple should just setup their own virtual cell phone company and rent out some of the old Radio Shack locations. With subsidies nearly obsolete I don't see why not. They are basically just a mobile company now...just add in the service and finish off the walled garden.
No. The stores are a cash cow. The only reason Apple would wind down a store or many stores is the same reason any company would -- they are not profitable. And that is the reason stores exist. What Apple seems to be doing here is winding down "person to person" B2B sales. It's a change in the business model, but Apple isn't going to exit retail until consumers do.
"Always thought Apple had their best interests in mind" WTH?
Apple is the world's wealthiest corporation and is capitalistic to the extreme....If you work for the massive Apple operations you shouldn't be touchy feely about it.
The stores are a huge cost and I see them gone in 7-10 years except for a few flagships. Virtual reality and augmented shopping will take their place.
Apple is the world's wealthiest corporation and is capitalistic to the extreme....If you work for the massive Apple operations you shouldn't be touchy feely about it.
The stores are a huge cost and I see them gone in 7-10 years except for a few flagships. Virtual reality and augmented shopping will take their place.
I spent over 5 years as a Business Specialist and here was my experience in a couple of stores:
Article is correct - former GAP, Target, Whole Foods, "insert similar company here" managers don't understand business at all. Why would they?
They were more concerned with store traffic and an "immediate win" than longer term, "strategic" relationship building with clients that spend more and more often. Business team members get pulled at the drop of a hat when the Red Zone was busy, even if it meant losing time to call/follow up with businesses that have expressed interest. Since Apple is so flush with cash a Store Leader has little incentive to run their store as if it was their own business (higher ups would rather care about AppleCare or OnetoOne sales).
The Retail business teams CAN have opportunity to drive a good portion of the store's business (15-20% while being 2-5% of staff) but it varies based on store and you guessed it, existing store leadership. Those in the thread saying it was just "business already walking into the store and thus NOT B2B" are both right and wrong. Over time I saw higher-ups push to re-define foot traffic as "business customers" in order to hit goals. This doesn't take away from legit relationships.
I went through 6 Business Managers during that time - most had no experience and would move on or move to a regular store role. Those that came in with related experience left quickly as the job wasn't what they were sold - mainly, trying to teach college kids how to develop leads from food traffic (easily 50%+ of the job).
The CRM system was horrible. The discounts offered to clients was poor (making those who were successful very impressive indeed - they had the deck stacked against them). And overall it seemed the business team existed as a unit fighting Apple itself for resources to succeed.
I left about 2 years ago. Good riddance.
Article is correct - former GAP, Target, Whole Foods, "insert similar company here" managers don't understand business at all. Why would they?
They were more concerned with store traffic and an "immediate win" than longer term, "strategic" relationship building with clients that spend more and more often. Business team members get pulled at the drop of a hat when the Red Zone was busy, even if it meant losing time to call/follow up with businesses that have expressed interest. Since Apple is so flush with cash a Store Leader has little incentive to run their store as if it was their own business (higher ups would rather care about AppleCare or OnetoOne sales).
The Retail business teams CAN have opportunity to drive a good portion of the store's business (15-20% while being 2-5% of staff) but it varies based on store and you guessed it, existing store leadership. Those in the thread saying it was just "business already walking into the store and thus NOT B2B" are both right and wrong. Over time I saw higher-ups push to re-define foot traffic as "business customers" in order to hit goals. This doesn't take away from legit relationships.
I went through 6 Business Managers during that time - most had no experience and would move on or move to a regular store role. Those that came in with related experience left quickly as the job wasn't what they were sold - mainly, trying to teach college kids how to develop leads from food traffic (easily 50%+ of the job).
The CRM system was horrible. The discounts offered to clients was poor (making those who were successful very impressive indeed - they had the deck stacked against them). And overall it seemed the business team existed as a unit fighting Apple itself for resources to succeed.
I left about 2 years ago. Good riddance.
That's just a crazy analysis. Watch bands come first.
This indicates a significant retail cost cutting measure, indicating online is of increasing importance.
Not necessarily because Apple isn't likely losing 20% sales, just the people who accounted for them in the current staff structure. The unsold product will probably be sold to consumers at a higher profit. For example if a business manager sold 50 iPhones to XYZbiz at 10% discount they likely could have sold those same phones to individual customers at no discount. OR XYXbiz might still get a 10% discount but Apple won't be paying a specialized staff member to make the sale.
Now the question remains is whether the loss of having a personal rep and personal touch will change how or what businesses buy. This could be a smart money move or end up being TC knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing.
Not quiet. Our store usually has them on Monday as local laws don't allow Sunday working. Also our store closes earlier on meeting days. Meetings are also voluntary. After a long day, lots choose not to attend.
Hi - That guy here.
You're right. The opportunity was there, and it was never capitalized on. Anything larger than a certain amount had to be kicked up to SMB and retail was never allowed to interact with Enterprise customers at all (the CRM systems didn't even talk to one another).
That said, as you said, the managers were either bad, or misled, but the opportunity Apple identified and ran with was not the correct use case, which led to a lot of overpaid business team members who could have been more productive as specialists with a little bit of extra know-how to serve the RARE actual business customer (rather than the stretch-qualified business walk-in).
So they'll pay $250 for each black ball that little kids pee on but lay off the person responsible for bringing in 20% of store revenue. Makes Sense. Steve and Ron just watching them screw it all up....
They haven't had those little black balls in years dude.
They were Steve and Ron's choice anyway.
Nothing new - developers / QA have to do lots of overtime. Apple isn't a company that I'd like to work for. The occasional overtime fine - and expected - but not at the expense of constant work / life balance.
The business teams now have the ability to setup online stores specific to a particular business - streamlining purchasing and offering (slightly) discounted prices depending on annual spend of said client. So makes sense.
I vote against him every year. I encourage other stockholders to do the same.
I was always impressed by the Business Mgrs eager willingness to get any issues resolved with immediacy and efficiency as if our business was theirs. We found a logic board had died one morning, and called our Apple Business rep. She located a replacement and had it couriered over. I sent the workstation over with a gopher at lunch, and by early afternoon we had a call to pick it up and were back up and running.
Same day fix, no charge. Never seen another company pull off anything like that.
Same day fix, no charge. Never seen another company pull off anything like that.
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They were done on Sunday nights (and in more recent years mornings) since they are held in-store and Sundays are the only days with abbreviated late open or early closing hours.